Standing Up... from my couch

I wanted to go to a Stand Up for Religious Freedom rally today.  However, I am miserable with a cold, and the notion of standing outside in the cold air with a pounding headache while listening to rally speeches and shouting is just a little more than I can handle right now.  I'll have to have my own rally here at home, with my hot coffee and my warm blanket. 

The HHS Mandate forces religious employers to pay for contraception for their female employees.  For the Catholic church and many other religions, this violates a basic tenant of their faith.  (Of course there are Catholics who will readily tell you that they believe in contraception and even abortion, but this is not in line with church teaching.)

Here's a well written summary of how the HHS Mandate threatens religious freedom.

I've had the "separation of church and state" argument more times recently than I can remember... even here, in a comment on my last post.   This is not a matter of the church trying to force something on the general public.  Remember, nobody forced these people to accept a job for a religious organization, and nobody is saying that they can't use contraception... they're just saying that their employer should not be forced to pay for something that they find morally objectionable.  Women are free to work elsewhere or to pay for their own contraception.

Healthcare is a touchy issue.  As the mother of two children with medical needs, I understand this as much as, if not more so, than the average voter.   However, I can not stand by and watch as  the government tries to tell my church what to do.

p.s.  I've removed the option to be an anonymous commenter from my posts. I always welcome comments and discussions that differ from my own views, but I won't approve hateful "attack" comments from people who won't even sign their own names (you know who you are).  Not all anonymous comments are hateful, but enough were that I've chosen this option. Thanks for understanding.  

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The Choice is Clear for Catholics

There are two things in this world that really get me fired up:  politics and diabetes.  I can, and do, go on at length when either of those topics comes up.   I'm fairly certain that I'm one of "those" people that others block from their Facebook feeds during political seasons.

Here's the thing that's bugging me right now:  how can so many of my Christian friends support a President who so clearly does not support our values?  And don't even get me started on Joe "practicing Catholic" Biden's remarks from last week...

CatholicVote.org has broken down a list of issues that are important to Catholics (and really, all Christians) HERE.   There's even a nice printable PDF with a quick breakdown of the issues that you can print to share with others.

For anyone who is true to their faith, the choice is clear:  Romney is the pro-life, anti-HHS mandate, pro religious freedom, not-apologizing-for-our-country candidate!

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Virtual March for Life

I used to attend the real march in Washington, DC-- I went for several years in a row.  It was an amazing experience, to stand there surrounded by of thousands of other people who believe in the sanctity of human life.

In this season of my life, though, it's just not practical for me to make it to the DC march.  That's why I liked this idea-- AUL Action is hosting the first Virtual March for Life. 

It will only take seconds, sign up, select your own "avatar" and then invite your pro-life friends and family to participate as well. It's the best way to "be there" even if you can't be there.

Join the Virtual March for Life. Show your support for life. Make your voice heard.

Abortion Doesn't Belong in "Health Care"

I am so tired of hearing about the proposed healthcare "reform" and the crazy paid people who show up and scream at town hall meetings. I saw a man on the news tonight who was screaming about "keeping the government out of Medicare"... ummm, hello? Who does he think runs that program now? ::sigh::

I strongly oppose the whole mess myself, for several reasons, but I don't think that screaming is accomplishing anything. I think it's our duty as Americans to become as educated about the issues as possible, and then act like reasonable people in expressing our views.

Want an easy (non-screaming) way to express your ProLIFE views? Click the pink button above and sign the petition. From there you can also write letters to your representatives and read more details on what the proposed "reforms" might mean.

This quote, swiped directly from the Happy Catholic, sums things up pretty well for me: Catholics want to "extend health care to as many people as possible...but you can't call it health care if it includes a type of killing. It's as simple as that."

Cathleen Kaveny, law and theology professor

University of Notre Dame

quoted in the Wall Street Journal

Sotomayor for Justice?

*I apologize if you're reading this in a feed reader-- for some reason my draft kept going "live" before I was finished writing it!

Check out this article: Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court Nominee: All You Need to Know. I'm already hearing from people who have formed an opinion for or against her nomination. I really don't know much about her, so right now I'm kind of on the fence.

• Politics aside, I have to admit that I like the fact that she's a Type One Diabetic-- that might bring some much-needed attention to our cause. Of course, that really doesn't have any bearing on how she'd do as a justice.


• I don't like that she's yet another politician who is a "cafeteria" Catholic. A White House source is quoted multiple places online as saying that she only attends church for family functions and important holidays. And already there's plenty of talk about another "wafer watch" happening. Ugh.


• I don't like the fact that nobody can confirm where she stands on abortion based on her past rulings. "She's ruled on only three cases indirectly related to abortion and in each case she took the position preferred by the pro-life forces, albeit for reasons unrelated to the merits of abortion." (quote from Is Sotomayor and Abortion Centrist? @ Beliefnet) I'd like to think that as a Catholic it's a given that she'd be proLIFE, but, well... see also: Joe Biden.

What do you think? Would you choose Sonia Sotomayor for Justice?

Reminder: It's Red Envelope time!

Don't forget to get your red envelopes in the mail today! If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out my prior post, or, visit the Red Envelope Campaign site. Let's flood the White House with red! :)

ProLife Red Envelope Campaign

I LOVE this idea and I'll definitely be participating! There's a push to get as many of these in the mail as possible the weekend of February 28th.

From the Red Envelope Campaign:

The idea is simple. Bombard the White House with red envelopes to remind President Obama that the majority of Americans do not support his abortion policy.

You can participate easily, as often as you want. Just send an empty red envelope to the address below.

Address it to:

• President Barack Obama
• The White House
• 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
• Washington, DC 20500
  

Seal it and write the following message on the back:
This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was not allowed to offer anything to the world. Life begins with conception.

How easy is that? I love the image of thousands of red envelopes flooding the mail room at the White House.

If you don't have a red envelope, here are a couple of easy templates that you could use: here, here, and here. Make one out of construction paper, scrapbook paper, whatever. Just make it and get it in the mail the weekend of February 28th!

FOCA: an upcoming battle for ProLifers

President-elect Obama has vowed to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. If you don't know what the FOCA will do, click here to read a great article from Moms on the Right. Two of the things that stand out to me are the fact that FOCA will use taxpayer money for abortions, and, it will require states to allow partial-birth and other types of abortions.

This will be a huge issue in the coming months... ProLife organizations are already gearing up for a big fight. I'm praying that this act won't become law.

"If men strive, and hurt a women with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life." (Ex.21:22-23)

So, have I mentioned that I'm voting for

No matter who you're voting for, get out and VOTE today! After all, if you don't vote, you don't have any right to complain when things don't go your way. ;) And afterwards, don't forget to wear your "I voted" sticker proudly while you pick up some free food.